Is it just me or does this strapline sound a little insidious? A bit like ‘Mothers Littler Helper….’

Beechams Pills were actually a laxative (containing soap, yum!) rather than something addictive, but still… Would you know what this ad was for?

Advertisement from: Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 1921

Beecham’s Pills were a laxative first marketed around 1842 in St Helens, Lancashire. They were invented by Thomas Beecham (1820–1907), grandfather of Thomas Beecham (1879–1961).

The pills themselves were a combination of aloe, ginger, and soap, with some other more minor ingredients. They were initially advertised like other patent medicine as a cure-all, but they actually did have a positive effect on the digestive process. This effectiveness made them stand out from other remedies for sale in the mid-nineteenth century.

Source and copyright: his UK artistic work, of which the author is unknown and cannot be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, is in the public domain